Study Looks for Causes of Longer Stays in Hospice Care
Medicare beneficiaries' length of stay in nursing home care settings has doubled from 1999 to 2006, and researchers say higher reimbursement rates incentivize health care facilities to accommodate longer stays, according to a according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The number of hospice facilities also has increased by 50% with the increased use of hospice services. The researchers recommend a tiered payment system be created to address policy concerns raised by long lengths of stay.
- "Medicare Policies Result in Longer Nursing Home Hospice Stays" (Simmons, HealthLeaders Media, 7/20).